Houston-based Texas Children’s Hospital and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have received a $150 million gift from Kinder Foundation.
Seven things to know:
1. The gift, one of the largest philanthropic donations made to an American pediatric hospital, creates Kinder Children’s Cancer Center, a joint venture of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Children’s Hospital.
2. The cancer center aims to be the country’s largest and most comprehensive pediatric cancer center. It will be based in a new facility on the Texas Medical Center campus.
3. The support of Kinder Foundation will serve as the lead gift for a multi-year campaign to secure funds for the facility and for pediatric oncology research and patient care.
4. Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will launch in early 2026, with plans to build a new Texas Medical Center facility with inpatient beds, ambulatory care and research labs. The cancer center is expected to be connected by a sky bridge to Texas Children’s.
5. Once the center opens, pediatric oncology care will be consolidated at Texas Children’s. Radiation oncology will remain at UT MD Anderson, and adolescent/young adult programs will be provided at both institutions.
6. The cancer center will be governed by a board with equal representation from both institutions. An international search will be conducted to appoint a physician and administrator to lead the center.
7. The facility will have the capacity to offer more trials for children with cancer than any other institution, the health systems said in the news release.
“This historic gift is a testament to the vision and future impact of our groundbreaking collaboration with UT MD Anderson and our shared mission of eradicating pediatric cancer,” Texas Children’s President and CEO Debra Sukin, PhD, said in a May 14 news release. “Our state-of-the-art facility will expand access for children in need of the most advanced care, accelerate clinical research, education and training and ultimately create a comprehensive program equipped to lead the global fight against childhood cancer.”
